Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

sparse

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of sparse

less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
  • Open land is sparse around here.
Synonyms of sparse

exiguous, hand-to-mouth, light, meager (or meagre), niggardly, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, skimpy, slender, slim, spare, sparing, stingy
Words Related to sparse

deficient, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, short, wanting

bare, bare-bones

least, littlest, lowest, mere, minimal, slightest
Phrases Synonymous with sparse

thin on the ground
Near Antonyms of sparse

adequate, enough, satisfactory, sufficient, tolerable

fat, fecund, fertile, fruitful, prolific, rich

lavish, luxuriant

excess, extra, surplus
Antonyms of sparse

abundant, ample, bountiful, copious, generous, liberal, plenteous, plentiful

Synonym Discussion of sparse

meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable. meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.
    • a meager portion of meat
scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.
    • supplies too scanty to last the winter
scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.
    • in January the daylight hours are scant
skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.
    • tacky housing developments on skimpy lots
spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.
    • a spare, concise style of writing
sparse implies a thin scattering of units.
    • a sparse population

Learn More about sparse

  1. See words that rhyme with sparse Dictionary: Definition of sparse Spanish Central: Translation of sparse Nglish: Translation of sparse for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sparse for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up sparse? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games